Brush section

ABSTRACT

A brush section comprising a deformable metal channel having outwardly-extending bristles anchored at their inner ends by means including a filler channel of rubber or plastic which is inserted in the metal ring and is provided with sockets at regularly spaced intervals for receiving the bristles as separate bunches and provides filler material in the metal channel between the respective bunches.

Unlted States Patent 1191 1111 3,855,660

Drumm Dec. 24, 1974 [54] BRUSH SECTION 2,820,235 1/1958 Nelson .1 15/181 2,856,624 10/1958 Cook, Jr. et a1.

[76] Invent? g SQFE SZ- 3,602,936 9 1971 Drumm 15/181 arysv1 e, 10 [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1973 Primary ExaminerPeter Feldman [21] pp NO 390 210 Attorney, Agent, or FirmMahoney, Miller & Stebens 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 15/181, 300/21 1 [51] Int. Cl A46b 13/02 A brush Secuon compnsmg a deformable metal Chan 58] Field orsearchmlll 15/179-183, W OUtWaYdIY'BXIeFdiIg,brisfles anchored at then mner ends by means 1nclud1ng a filler channel of rubber or plastlc whlch 1s mserted 1n the metal rmg 159 2:1:mfiizng11szazzi1:33:1113:21:11:

r UNITED STATES PATENTS provides filler material in the metal channel between 2,160,029 5 1939 Nielsen 15 179 th 5 b h 2,525,947 10/1950 Rose 15/181 X 6 respec we unc es 2,616,111 11/1952 Vose et al 15/179 X 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures BRUSH SECTION The present invention relates generally to a brush section having a channel body with outwardly extending bristles anchored therein. For example, it may be of the general type disclosed in my patent No. 3,602,936 dated Sept. 7, l97l.

This type of brush section is adapted to be mounted in suitable numbers on a central core to be driven thereby for heavyduty sweeping. It comprises generally a split metal ring of channel cross-section which receives and retains heavy bristles which extend radially outwardly from the circumference thereof.

The present invention for example may provide a brush section which is an improvement over that disclosed in said patent in that it provides for mounting the bristles in the metal channel ring as angularly spaced bundles of radially extending bristles, by means including the use of a filler channel of plastic or rubber which is disposed in the metal channel and is provided with sockets at angularly disposed intervals in which the inner ends of the bunches are disposed and anchored and which further provides filler flanges of material in the metal channel between the respective bunches of bristles.

The best mode contemplated in carrying out this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a rotary brush section in which this invention is embodied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged transversal sectional view through the brush section taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the circumferential edge of the brush section.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a straight brush section in which my invention is embodied.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view illustrating a machine which may be used in making the brush section.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a filler channel used in the brush section.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view showing the positioning of the bristles transversely in notches in the receiving filler channel at about the position indicated at line 8--8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a similar view showing the engagement of the bristles by the mandrel bar at about the position indicated at line 9-9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a similar view showing the bristles in position in the channel assembly just before the final crimping operation of the outer metal channel to produce the brush section of FIG. 2.

One form of the present invention is shown embodied in a brush section of the general type disclosed in my Pat. No. 3,602,936, dated Sept. 7, 1971. The brush section is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and is shown best in FIGS. 1 to 3. It includes the radially extending bristles ll anchored at their inner ends on a central metal ring 12 which is split at 13 where a connecting and driving member 14 is provided.

The ring 12 is a metal, preferably of deformable steel, and is of U or channel cross-section opening outwardly. The bristles 11 are of a common type, either plastic or wire, and are arranged in U-form and held or anchored in the ring by a continuous flexible retaining member 15, such as a wire or cable, passing within the turns or bends of the bristles, with the free ends of the bristles outermost. The side walls or flanges of the ring 12 are crimped at angularly spaced intervals, as indicated at 16 at a location radially outwardly of the wire 15 to retain the wire and bristles in position.

For some sweeping applications it is desirable to have the bristles in angularly spaced bunches rather than as a continuous annular group, as disclosed in said patent. Therefore, as indicated in FIG. 1, the bristles are disposed as separate bunches at regularly spaced intervals around the metal ring 12. To mount the bristles in this manner a deformable filler channel 17 is used. This channel 17 fits in the metal channel 12 and is complemental thereto. At regular intervals it is provided with sockets 18 which receive the inner ends of the bunches of bristles. The sockets are formed in the channel 17 by forming undercut notches 19 (FIG. 7) in each opposed flange 20 of the channel having the flange portions 20 therebetween. The channel 17 is formed of an elastomer of rubber or plastic so as to provide a resiliently compressible or filler material at the inner ends of the bristles which, as indicated, are of U-form and may be of metal or plastic. Thus, when the metal ring 12 is crimped, the flange portions 20 are brought into contact in the spaces between the angularly spaced bunches of bristles and will fill those spaces serving to keep the bunches of bristles in their predetermined angularly spaced positions.

As indicated, this brush section 10 may be produced by a machine of the type disclosed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 274,912, now Pat. No. 3,776,596, filed July 25, 1972. However, the filler channel 17 is supplied and the unbent bunches of bristles are disposed in the notches 19 of the channel 17 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 10 inclusive. Numbers corresponding to those used in the co-pending application have been used in these figures.

The notched filler channel 17 is positioned on the table 27 and is advanced over the table into the bristlebending unit 40. The bunches of straight bristles, indicated by numeral 26 before bending, are disposed transversely (FIG. 8) in the longitudinally spaced notches 19 of the channel 17. The angled edges 19a of the notches are disposed at the rear sides of the notches. The bundles of bristles should be of such bulk that they must be forced into the undercut notches and then will tend to expand therein so as to be effectively retained. As the channel 17, carrying the longitudinally spaced groups of transversely extending straight bristles 26 enters the unit 40, the bristles are bent upwardly around the mandrel 41 (FIG. 9) and around the wire 15 which is supplied over the wheel 32. Eventually, the channel 17 feeds into the channel 12 (FIG. 10) in that machine and the crimping takes place (FIG. 2) to retain the spaced groups of U-shaped bristles 11 in the combined channels 12 and 17.

The flanges of the metal channel 12 are exposed by the notches 19. Therefore, during the crimping of the metal channel 12, in the manner indicated in my copending application, the metal flanges will enlarge and grip the bunches of bristles and will aid in retaining them in the metal channel. Also, the crimping of the metal channel brings together the flanges 20 of the channel 17 to provide for filling the spaces between the respective bunches of bristles. This will aid in keeping the bunches spaced. The inner bent ends of the bunches of bristles will tend to expand beneath the undercut edges 19a of the notches or sockets which will also aid in anchoring the bristles.

The same method and structure could be used in forming a straight section of brush, embodying this invention, rather than a ring section. Thus, in FIG. 4, there is shown a straight brush section a which has a longitudinally extending body composed of the combined metal and filler channels 12a and 17a, respectively, with the bunches of bristles 11a extending outwardly therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals. The method will be the same except that the combined channel body will not be formed into a ring.

It will be understood from the above that this invention provides an improved brush section wherein the outwardly extending bristles are arranged in uniformly spaced bunches. The bristles are anchored in place by crimping of the combined metal and filler rings and the tiller ring also provides filler means in the spaces between the respective bunches of bristles. Also, a method is provided for producing the specific type of brush section.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed l. A brush section comprising a body of metal of channel cross-section opening outwardly with opposed outwardly extending flanges, a filler channel of deformable material positioned in said metal channel and also opening outwardly, said filler channel having opposed outwardly extending flanges, said last-named flanges having notches formed therein at spaced intervals to provide pairs of opposed notches to produce bristlereceiving pockets at spaced positions where the flanges. of the metal channel are exposed, bunches of bristles of U-form having the U-ends thereof disposed in said pockets, a continuous retainer member disposed in said filler channel and extending through said U-ends of the bristles to retain them in the channel, said flanges of the metal channel and of the filler channel being deformed at a position outwardly of the retainer member so that the flanges of the metal channel engage the outwardly extending bunches of bristles and the outwardly extending opposed flanges of the filler channel are in contact to fill the spaces between the respective spaced bunches of bristles.

2. A brush section according to claim 1 in which the filler channel is of elastomer material.

3. A brush section according to claim 2 in which the opposed notches are undercut so as to more effectively retain the respective bunches of bristles in the pockets in the metal channel.

4. A brush section according to claim 3 in which the flanges of the metal channel are crimped to deform them.

5. A brush section according to claim 1 in which the filler channel is complemental to the metal channel and the metal channel is bent into ring form so that the bristle bunches extend radially outwardly therefrom and are in angularly spaced relationship.

6. A brush section according to claim 1 in which the metal channel is straight and the bristle bunches extend outwardly therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals. =i 

1. A brush section comprising a body of metal of channel crosssection opening outwardly with opposed outwardly extending flanges, a filler channel of deformable material positioned in said metal channel and also opening outwardly, said filler channel having opposed outwardly extending flanges, said lastnamed flanges having notches formed therein at spaced intervals to provide pairs of opposed notches to produce bristlereceiving pockets at spaced positions where the flanges of the metal channel are exposed, bunches of bristles of U-form having the Uends thereof disposed in said pockets, a continuous retainer member disposed in said filler channel and extending through said U-ends of the bristles to retain them in the channel, said flanges of the metal channel and of the filler channel being deformed at a position outwardly of the retainer member so that the flanges of the metal channel engage the outwardly extending bunches of bristles and the outwardly extending opposed flanges of the filler channel are in contact to fill the spaces between the respective spaced bunches of bristles.
 2. A brush section according to claim 1 in which the filler channel is of elastomer material.
 3. A brush section according to claim 2 in which the opposed notches are undercut so as to more effectively retain the respective bunches of bristles in the pockets in the metal channel.
 4. A brush section according to claim 3 in which the flanges of the metal channel are crimped to deform them.
 5. A brush section according to claim 1 in which the filler channel is complemental to the metal channel and the metal channel is bent into ring form so that the bristle bunches extend radially outwardly therefrom and are in angularly spaced relationship.
 6. A brush section according to claim 1 in which the metal channel is straight and the bristle bunches extend outwardly therefrom at longitudinally spaced intervals. 